Aims and objectives: To determine whether interventions that use the Specific Thematic Nursing Care Action Modules (STNC-AM) platform improve patients' psychological health over a two-month period.
Background: Stroke survivors often are left with a disability after a stroke, which can have an impact on their physical and mental health. Therefore, it is necessary for stroke patients to have tailored programmes in the face of post-stroke mental health concerns and the need for care information.
Design: A non-randomised controlled pilot study was conducted.
Methods: Participants included 44 post-stroke patients at a medical university hospital, between 1 August 2019-28 February 2021, of whom 24 were assigned to the control group and 20 were assigned to the intervention (STNC-AM). Data were analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. We used the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Checklist (case-control studies) for this study.
Results: There were no statistical differences between the two groups at baseline. At the end of two months, however, the scores for resilience, depression and positive factors illness representation were statistically different between the two groups (p < .05). The results of the generalised estimating equation model analysis indicated that resilience and anxiety remained more significant in decreasing depression in the intervention group than in the control group.
Conclusion: This preliminary trial suggests that, although action modules may be associated with a decrease in depression post-stroke, part of this effect was likely associated with an increase in resilience and a decrease in anxiety of the patients.
Relevance to clinical practice: The STNC-AM platform provides a coaching platform that helps patients and caregivers to be effective and accessible.
Keywords: anxiety; depression; illness representation; resilience; stroke.
© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.